Dr. Gillespie stands out as a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in the intricate areas of the hand, wrist, elbow, and nerve conditions. At his practice, patients of all ages benefit from his comprehensive approach to both surgical and nonsurgical treatments. Whether you’re dealing with sports-related injuries, the aftermath of trauma, congenital differences, arthritis, or a range of other conditions affecting the arm and upper extremities, Dr. Gillespie offers tailored care to get you back to optimal function.
For adults facing hand and upper extremity issues, Dr. Gillespie provides a spectrum of care, addressing everything from common ailments to highly complex situations. His expertise encompasses sports injuries, traumatic injuries impacting bones, joints, tendons, and nerves, nerve compression syndromes, and various forms of arthritis. While many of these conditions can be effectively managed without surgery, consulting with a specialized hand surgeon like Dr. Gillespie ensures you receive an accurate diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan – surgical or nonsurgical – that’s right for you.
Dr. Gillespie’s specific interests include addressing ligament tears, fractures (broken bones), tendon injuries, and arthritis throughout the hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow. He also possesses a distinct focus on nerve injuries and nerve-related problems within the upper extremity. Furthermore, he is highly skilled in treating upper extremity weakness stemming from brachial plexus injuries and spinal cord injuries (tetraplegia). His surgical reconstructive capabilities are extensive, including nerve grafting, nerve transfers, tendon transfers, and advanced microsurgical tissue transfer techniques, all aimed at significantly improving hand and upper extremity function for his patients.
Heterotopic ossification (HO) and post-traumatic reconstruction are additional areas of focus for Dr. Gillespie, treating both pediatric and adult patients. This often involves surgical interventions to correct issues arising from poorly healed elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand injuries that result in stiffness or functional limitations.
Before establishing his practice in Atlanta, Dr. Gillespie held a prestigious position as an instructor in orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School and served as an orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgeon at Boston Children’s Hospital. During this period, he collaborated closely with esteemed mentors, Dr. Peter Waters and Dr. Donald Bae. His experience in pediatric and adolescent orthopedics is invaluable, providing him with the nuanced understanding necessary to accurately diagnose and treat injuries and conditions in young, growing patients. This includes common sports injuries such as elbow osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries, wrist/triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries, and pain in the elbow and wrist experienced by young athletes in throwing and tumbling sports. Dr. Gillespie maintains a particular research interest in peripheral nerve and brachial plexus injuries in infants and children. He is currently the Principal Investigator at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Hospital, leading research into the use of AxoGen cadaveric nerve grafts for brachial plexus injuries.
Dr. Gillespie’s academic journey includes graduation from the University of Rochester (New York) School of Medicine, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree with research distinction. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency through the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program in Boston, Massachusetts, gaining experience at renowned institutions including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System. He was honored to serve as chief resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. Further specializing his expertise, Dr. Gillespie completed the Harvard hand and upper extremity surgery fellowship at Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Dr. Gillespie is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and holds subspecialty certification in surgery of the hand, demonstrating his commitment to the highest standards of patient care. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and actively participates in several leading professional organizations, including the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, Pediatric Hand Study Group, American Medical Association, Georgia Orthopaedic Society, and Georgia Society for Surgery of the Hand.
Dr. Gillespie actively contributes to the orthopedic field through presentations and lectures at both local and national meetings. Notably, his research project conducted at Boston Children’s Hospital, focusing on nerve injuries resulting from supracondylar distal humerus (elbow) fractures in children, received the prestigious Sumner Koch Award for the best clinical paper at the 2014 American Society for Surgery of the Hand annual meeting.
Originally from Edina, Minnesota, and a graduate of Williams College (Massachusetts), Dr. Gillespie, along with his family, is pleased to call Atlanta home.
